If I died today – How would my pest control company continue?

Hearts Pest Management has evolved into a fairly complex mid-sized pest control company working in five counties now, providing pest control in San Diego, pest control in Los Angeles and pest control in between. That’s the way I like to see it. That’s a lot of territory, service visits, technicians, coordination and occasional headaches.

HEATKTE – A Sam Walton acronym

At Walmart, the acronym HEATKTE reflected the perspective of Mr. Sam. HEATKTE meant “high expectations are the key to everything.” The acronym applied to both the results and the means to get there, through the labor force. You can bet that at Walmart, when a goal was set the expectation was that it was going to be met. Just as important was the means to get there.

Hearts Pest Control Initial Impression of Los Angeles

Hearts Pest Management has been operating in Los Angeles for a few months now and I must say it’s been a wonderful experience. Aside from the pest control work, I’ve had a great time exploring Los Angeles. Having come from New York and moving to San Diego, I fell in love with the sense of freedom that comes from the open spaces here on the west coast.

What’s Wrong? Pest Control Company, Pest Technician, or Both

The following pest control application received on the web is typical of many I receive:

“I currently work for (recognized large pest control company name) since x/2010, i am a (floating) tech. I work with termites and pest control along with doing special services including bed bugs, bees, fleas, etc. I am intrested in working for a good company who pays good and that the managment cares about me as well as for the customers. I love this industry along with the people who come with it. But where I’mm at there is no room to move around, the managment has little respect for us. So it is time to get with a good company.”

What’s wrong here? Is this top name pest control company that bad. Possibly so. There are reasons for bad employee morale. If employees are bad mouthing the company because they feel disrespected, they probably are.

In Pest Control, Is the Customer Always Right?

Any company that does not listen to its’ customers is doomed. …and while many companies say they listen to their customers, the proof is measured by the reaction to customer requests and changes made to satisfy the customers’ concerns.

There are situations presented by pest control that are unique.

1) The pest control technician is licensed and required to abide by both pest control regulations and the pesticide label. The pest control worker must not abrogate the pest control label to satisfy a customer request.

Pest Control Door Knockers

This evening I received a call from one of my longstanding pest control customers who was met by a summer door-to-door pest control salesman. These kids who do this work are motivated by one thing only – a fast buck. They may or may not have a license, but one thing is sure. They are flung into this work, having no prior field work exposure. They have been revved up by the prospect of making lots of money over the summer, so they can kick back during the school year. Often, these young people have few plans at all other than getting away from small towns and narrowly focused lifestyles in which they were raised. They do not have the customer interest at heart.

The Ant Season has Finally Arrived – But Are You Ready?

Each year in southern California, the pest control industry waits for the ant season. Sometimes the ant season starts in April and sometimes it doesn’t arrive until July 4th. Yes, if bad luck rules, than we wait for July 4th, but sure as the sun will shine, the ants come out by July 4th, en mass. So I thought, until this year, when we had to wait for July 9th before the ant season truly started.

Food Grade vs. Pool Grade Diatomaceous Earth – Possible Confusion

Speaking with an industry associate recently, we were discussing the use of diatomaceus earth. A concern was expressed about using diatomaceous earth. I thought, maybe folks are confused by the many different types of diatomaceous earth.

For pest control, the only type of diatomaceous earth you should be using is “Food Grade” diatomaceous earth. “Pool Grade” diatomaceous earth has been chemically processed and is carcenogenic.